


Pink in the Night

by orphan_account



Category: Scrubs
Genre: Candy Canes, Gen, Holidays, Light Angst, M/M, Mistletoe, Pining, Timeline What Timeline, Unreliable Narrator
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-12
Updated: 2019-12-12
Packaged: 2021-02-26 16:21:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21761164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: The music and din of the rag tag team was very pleasant if JD lingered on it. Which he was, by the way, lingering, in the kitchen and watching Elliot make that are-you-actually-this-sexist face as Kelso regales her with some ER story while the chief of medicine steadfastly gulps the spiked eggnog.
Relationships: Perry Cox/John "JD" Dorian
Comments: 9
Kudos: 91





	Pink in the Night

It’s three days before Christmas. The apartment looked festive with lots of holly boughs and garland strung up everywhere, even Rowdy had some hanging loosely from his neck. JD was also feeling festive in a cable knit red and green sweater. The music and din of the rag tag team was very pleasant if JD lingered on it. Which he was, by the way, lingering, in the kitchen and watching Elliot make that are-you-actually-this-sexist face as Kelso regales her with some ER story while the chief of medicine steadfastly gulps the spiked eggnog. 

JD almost feels sorry for her but to enter the living room is to enter the war zone and JD has kept careful eyes on the sensitive land mine that is Dr. Cox. The older man definitely looks relaxed, a baseball tee and jeans his choice of festive attire for the evening as he sits in JD’s new favorite armchair. It has to be a front. A trick. But JD will not be lulled into a false sense of safety, his training will not let him.

See, JD had an epiphany of sorts earlier that night as everyone had tumbled through the door and consequently, the mistletoe hanging on the door frame. Yes, unfortunately, _everyone_ had gotten turn and JD’s stomach had yet to settle. What happened could have happened to anyone! He had been distracted, answering Carla’s query about gingerbread men that he had gotten mixed up on the next guest scheduled for arrival at Gate Turk and JD’s Apartment and the plane coming into the hanger was supposed to be the Todd, all holly and jolly! Definitely not Dr. Cox who was all coal and Krampus! It had been just a quick peck on the mouth, ya know, between guys. As one does on Christmas under the mistletoe! 

Dr. Cox did not know and had made the strangest face JD had ever seen him make before JD squeaked out something that resembled an apology and left Turk to deal with his former mentor while he contemplated the last moments of his life in the bathroom. 

Now, this, this normally wouldn’t require some Christmas miracle. Maybe some time dodging Dr. Cox in the halls and some good old fashion repression and they’d both never speak of it again. But nothing as drastic as celestial intervention.

There was a slight problem though. Just a teeny tiny little thing. Honestly, it was almost as insignificant as JD’s feelings on the matter. Because, well, it _was_ JD’s feelings. His breath caught in his throat as he tried to laugh it out but his expression looking back at him from the mirror told him that this was not really a laughing matter. 

What he most certainly wouldn’t do, is focus on this now when the two of them would be trapped for the next couple of hours. And he especially wasn’t going over confrontations in his head. He really liked the one where Dr. Cox knew he had been a good boy all year. 

There was a soft knock on the door and Carla’s voice teased him, “Come on, Bambi, help with the pomegranates, he’s distracted.”

JD knew he couldn’t hide in the bathroom all night so now; he was going to hide in the kitchen! Under the pretense of helping, which was a very good idea because he was like, actually, helping. While he halved the winter fruit, he frowned, thinking hard about how not soft Dr. Cox’s lips had been. Chapped, even! It was by all accounts an accident and an unpleasant experience. 

Right? 

Except.

 _Except_.

Dr. Cox had tasted like candy canes. 

JD had a quite intense vision of the older man wrapping his lips around the striped sweet and—JD choked on his tongue because, oh good god, that wasn’t a vision at all. Perry sat sideways in the armchair, his legs slung over the arm, his body completely focused on the other people around him, while he slipped the candy cane in and out of his mouth. 

This, JD lamented, has to be his punishment and he whimpers to himself, staring down at the half-sliced pomegranate. He must have really pissed off somebody up there because the sudden lust shooting through him had to be some kind of sick joke, right?

He made gentle star cuts into the fruit, worrying his lip, focusing on not ever looking up again. He was simply going crazy. He was just really lonely, right?

He gave a furtive glance to Elliot but it felt like his eyes were fighting to look at Dr. Cox instead and his stomach jumped further up his ribcage. He turned his eyes back the pomegranate. This was his first mistake because he had completely missed Dr. Cox rising and coming across the room, making a quick turn to be right behind JD.

“How’s it going there, Vixen?” Dr. Cox huffed into his ear and JD could simply not be blamed for jumping or how the paring knife slipped right into his thumb or how it clatters to the cutting board. He hisses as the blood rushes out of the cut. It stings with pomegranate juice and JD felt another noise try to escape his mouth, but it dies quickly when Dr. Cox grabs his hand to hold it over the kitchen sink. This is his second mistake. Cox’s hand is soft and warm. 

JD feels rather like a mute at the moment, so he doesn’t say anything as Dr. Cox tuts at him around the candy cane that has returned to his mouth. The blood drips steadily into the sink, plinking against the empty basin, it almost resembles the pomegranate seeds. JD swallows, tightly, breathing through his nose.

The others seemed to be distracted in a heated debate about the Janitor’s name while said man looks on in glee so JD opens his mouth to say...something but all that really comes out is, “Hmmha”

JD immediately shuts his mouth. 

Dr. Cox just raises an eyebrow, his eyes are so wide open, JD can’t help but hook the gaze. His mind, in the background, tries to autoplay a fishing scene but all he can really focus on is the way Dr. Cox seems to be memorizing his eyes. He makes another choked sound, something resembling, “Band aid.”

Dr. Cox smirks, letting JD’s hand fall, and leans back against the counter. His expression is foreign to JD again as he says, “Well, by all means, Ms. Claus.” around the candy cane like the smug bastard he is.

The earth opens up and swallows him whole and not really, he’s just bending to grab the box of bandaids under the sink cabinet. He’s hyper aware of Dr. Cox’s gaze on him so he rinses off his thumb as quickly as he can. He wraps the bandage fast and efficient, could be all the medical training, could be the way his adrenaline has kicked in without so much as a by your leave. 

Carla comes into the kitchen, frowning, “Are you alright, JD?”

Before he can answer, Dr. Cox cuts him off, his grin is very shark like when he says “Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of Newbie.”

Unfortunately, Carla seems to take that as a good sign and smiles at the both of them as she grabs a bowl of pretzels and heads back.

Dr. Cox takes the opportunity to wrap his hand around JD’s wrist and look closely at bandage, neither of them miss the way JD jumps at the contact. Dr. Cox frowns at him, letting go of JD, backing up and crossing his arms. He watches JD for a moment, taking the candy cane out of his mouth to bark, “There a problem, Cupid?”

JD does a good impression of the way a fish gapes in the water; mouth open, mouth closed, mouth open—you get it. He forces his mouth to close and tells himself it was an accident that he kissed Percival Cox and there is nothing inherently phallic about candy canes and most importantly, he’s absolutely not in love with his goddamn boss. He could let everything go so easily right now. If he doesn’t acknowledge anything then he knows Dr. Cox won’t either. 

He must have waited too long to answer because Dr. Cox sticks the candy cane back in his mouth.

JD stares at his bandaged thumb and his self-preservation must black out because he thinks, fuck it. He grabs the hook of the candy cane that’s in Perry’s mouth, pulls it out and sticks it in his own. 

He is almost 98% sure that he has never seen Dr. Cox’s eyebrows go that high. JD has single-handedly destroyed Christmas in one swift move and that’s why Dr. Cox is chuckling as steps closer because he’s gonna actually kill him this time. But nothing happens and JD is going to faint because oh, sweet, sweet, Hanukah, he smells like bushels of cedar and whisky. 

“Can you just get it over with already?” JD pleads, lisping around the candy. His whole body has been taught for over an hour. His hands are trembling. The peppermint flavor bursts around his tongue seem to spur him on, stepping closer to Cox, his breathing unsteady.

Cox just frowns at him, backing up and shaking his head. The older man turns and follows Carla back to the others.

JD doesn’t slump against the counter disappointed! He leans, carefully dejected. He’s an idiot. There is so many red lights that Cox is giving off, JD is probably just imagining the onslaught of sudden green ones. The music submerges him into thought, the saxophone sadly lilting to I’ll Be Home for Christmas. 

After dithering through another three songs, JD decides he isn’t going to make any more ~~blunders~~ moves. The metaphorical ball was in Dr. Cox’s court and JD knew the man was going to walk off the court so he should stop playing while he still has a teammate. 

Tonight was the closest thing to Christmas that the group of them would get. He planned to enjoy it. He took a deep breath and headed into the living room. 

The others had settled down to watch The Grinch and JD squeezed in next to Turk on the couch. His best friend looked at him, questions abound on his face. _Where have you been? Why is your thumb all bandaged? Why on earth are you blushing?_

But he didn’t wait for an answer and put his arm around JD’s shoulders, sandwiching himself between Carla and JD. He turned back to the tv and JD followed suit. JD was painfully aware of the eyes watching him from the armchair that was now apparently Dr Cox’s property. The gaze bored twin holes into his head with a screwdriver and JD bit the candy cane in his mouth hard. It snapped in two and the gaze relented. He hurriedly crunched the whole thing down when the Janitor glared at him for interrupting the movie. 

Elliot was sitting on the floor, leaning against Carla’s legs while Sean leaned against the leg of the couch, pressing up against her. Dr. Kelso was half asleep on the loveseat, drooling on the Janitor’s shoulder. Todd and Doug were in the middle of the floor, both sitting cross legged and watching the screen with big eyes. 

JD felt his heart clench at the feeling of wholeness spreading through him. He could feel his cheeks hurting at the way his grin split his face. He chanced a glance at Dr. Cox and he felt the breath in his lungs vanish.

The older man looked more comfortable than ever with his head titled back against the head rest of the chair. His legs splayed out in front of him and his eyes were half lidded but they still caught glints of the christmas tree lights. He held onto the glass of eggnog, fingers curled loosely around the tumbler, by balancing it on his knee. 

JD could see him dressed as Santa easily but when he saw himself sitting on Perry’s lap he quickly looked back to the screen. 

Turk shoots him a look as he goes stiff but is too focused on the movie to verbally question JD.

The movie ends all too soon and Dr. Kelso wakes as soon as the Todd mentions taking shots. 

JD isn’t sure how he got to be standing in between Turk and Dr. Cox with an empty shot glass in his hand but his throat burns pleasantly. Dr. Kelso is already pouring them another and JD watches the gold whisky swirl in the little glass and tries not think about Dr. Cox’s side pressed up against his. There’s another round of whisky and he can feel Dr. Cox’s shoulder searing into his own shoulder. He finds himself declining a fourth shot.

He watches as Dr. Kelso grumbles about the lack of eggnog and JD volunteers to run down the block to grab more. He’s got a thick white scarf around his neck and his coat half way on when Perry announces, “I’ll come along, Blizten, could use some fresh air.”

JD’s stomach leaps into his throat and he can’t voice the refusal on the tip of his tongue. They head out into the apartment hallway together, the light is flickering, and JD realizes his hands are trembling again. Dr. Cox has put on gloves. As they head for the stairwell, his heartbeat thumps loudly in his ears. They take the stairs two at a time and they’re on the sidewalk in no time. JD glances up at the apartment windows and sighs softly at the sight of closed curtains. He practically screams when Cox grips his shoulder suddenly. 

Dr. Cox drops his hand in alarm at the shriek and raises both his hands to pacify JD. It’s snowing and the street is empty. It’s painfully quiet out here as Dr. Cox stares at him and JD watches snow catch in the other man’s hair. “Alright, Newbie, just what the hell is wrong with you?”

JD eloquently says “Guh?”

“You’ve been jumpier tonight than on your first day,” Cox grumbles, his signature arms crossed stance appearing, “Now, I know it can’t be little ol’ me, since I’ve been _na-hothing_ but charming to you so why don’t you just tell me who hurt you, Comet, and we can enjoy the rest of night without you shaking like an old woman’s chihuahua.” 

Now, that’s a little uncalled for, JD thinks, but he really shouldn’t reply and start heading towards the corner store so that’s why he opens his mouth, “M-me? You! The candy! You’ve been practically hunting me all night!”

Oh, wrong answer. JD sees the predator flash behind Cox’s eyes and he has to tell himself backing up now would only incite the beast more. It doesn’t really matter because Cox has him pressed against the wall of his building before JD can even squeak. Cox’s hot breath hits JD’s mouth as the man growls, “Oh, _darling_ , I haven’t even begun to hunt you.”

Cox would normally let go now but the older doctor is keeping JD in place, his hands fisting in JD’s scarf and coat. The snow continues to float around them and why didn’t JD know that he’s got little green flecks in his eyes. His mind’s only thought is a simple mantra; don’t look at his mouth, don’t look at his mouth, don’t─ oh, wow, his lips were totally stained from the candy cane and Christ’s menorah, he was staring at Dr. Cox’s mouth. He risks a peek at the older doctor’s eyes again and JD regrets it instantly. The lust he sees almost drowns him. JD’s pretty sure if Cox touched his bare skin right now, he would almost definitely come in his pants. But Cox is gone faster than he was there, a few feet away from JD now, looking almost as shaken as JD feels. 

JD exhales shakily and his heart breaks a little at the loss of contact, but he shakes the snow free from his hair and motions down the street. Cox nods jerkily and they start walking in silence to the store. JD clenches and unclenches his hands as they move, that can’t be it, right? They can’t have come that close to…to everything and then just give up. JD laughs suddenly, still shaky, side-eyeing Cox who looks steadfastly ahead. 

They’re in front of the store now and JD is sure his chest has never felt so heavy as they walk into door. He breathes out slowly and stares down the aisles, the linoleum reflecting the shit convenience store lights, he’s got to be dreaming. The tinny speakers tell him about a little drummer boy. He hurries to the cooler lining the back part of the store, snagging a carton of eggnog, and almost trips on his way to the cashier.

The girl behind the counter barely looks up at the two men, wishing them a goodnight as they leave with their purchase.

The way back seems much longer than the way there, JD reflects, his heartbeat is louder than ever. Maybe he should get that checked out. A car drives by and he stops. Cox keeps going until he’s almost half a block away before turning back. There’s a clear question of his face and JD has no idea what the answer is, he only knows that they have to figure this out tonight or they won’t ever. He’s not sure he can handle the not ever part of this. He wonders how he had kept this so buried before tonight. He sees a twin of himself standing in front of him, covered in dirt, holding a shovel, and a candy cane in his mouth. Cox walks through the daydream, taking it’s place, looking uncomfortable. “Listen─”

“No,” JD speaks over him, swallowing down the whisky that threatens to come back up, “I want, I _need_ , to know.”

Dr. Cox huffs, not meeting JD’s eyes, “Know what, Prancer?”

JD rolls his eyes, getting closer, into the other man’s personal space, “You know what, Perry.”

Dr. Cox’s eyes snaps to JD’s face, his shoulders tight as he glares at JD. He starts pulling his gloves off and JD feels sick with the anticipation. He squeezes his eyes shut and forces them open again, planting his feet to steady himself against the coming blow. 

It never comes.

Perry’s cold hands were cradling his face, his thumb swiping back and forth on JD’s jaw, his breath ghosting along JD’s chin and lips. JD felt an eternity pass and couldn’t stop the sob of need that escaped mouth and no sooner had he made a sound then he felt his mouth crushed against Perry’s. His hands relaxed and the bag slipped onto the street as JD raised his hands to grip the lapels of Perry’s coat. He gasped at the swipe of tongue across his lips and it might as well have been an invitation, Perry deepened the kiss, his tongue brushing against JD’s softly. 

Perry pulled away, breathing harsh, still rubbing little circles against JD’s jaw. JD couldn’t make his fingers uncurl from Perry’s coat. Perry leaned back in, a gentle press of his lips and another teasing swipe of his tongue made JD wobble against the other man. JD never ever wanted to move. Perry raised an eyebrow and JD chuckled sheepishly; unaware he’d said that aloud. 

Perry stepped away and JD jerked to follow him, his hands still clenched in Perry’s coat. Perry’s hands came up, taking ahold of JD’s, pulling them down. The older man snagged the eggnog off the street and grabbed JD’s hand, heading back to the apartment. 

JD stops Perry several times to kiss him again and Perry never tries to stop him, always brushing his fingers across JD’s cheek as their lips meet. JD particularly enjoys the kiss he gives to Perry in the stairwell of his apartment building. Maybe because the step gives him the height advantage to ravage Perry’s mouth, maybe it’s because he’s afraid this will be the last kiss he gets. He absently checks his watch as they near his apartment door. It’s 11:45. Only fifteen minutes until midnight. Only five hours and fifteen minutes until their next shift at the hospital. He gulps as Perry opens the apartment door, the noise of their friends immediately greeting their ears. 

He’s staring down at his boots as he enters so he doesn’t notice Perry stop abruptly to turn around but then there’s a hand tilting his head up ever so slightly and JD barely registers the sound of Elliot gasping or the knowledge that this, whatever it was, was more than just secret kisses because Perry’s kissing him, _again_. In front of everyone. Oh, god, in front of everyone. It’s definitely not a polite kiss, either. 

As JD watches Carla pull Dr. Cox back and really lay into him, he can’t help the grin because Perry doesn’t even seem to notice her. He’s too busy staring at JD with the same unreadable expression from earlier and it hits JD then. It’s mischief. Pure, unadulterated, mischief. The fucker had known! Perry Cox had known since the minute he’d came through the door and got a mouthful of JD. Hell, the man was all but preening as Carla and now Elliot laid into him. 

The older man shrugged and leaned against the kitchen counter, snagging a candy cane to unwrap. 

JD snorted, it didn’t matter, he had all night to get him back. 

**Author's Note:**

> "it's about the yearning"


End file.
